Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, a plurality of thin film transistors, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, wherein the thin film transistor includes at least one Ti layer.
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This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/664,931, filed September 22, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 88430/2002 filed in Korea on Dec. 31, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and method of fabricating a display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In flat panel display devices having active devices, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, thin film transistors (TFTs) are disposed in each pixel region to drive pixel cells in the display device. A driving method using the TFTs is commonly referred to as an active matrix driving method, wherein the active devices are placed within each pixel region and are arranged in a matrix configuration to drive the individual pixel cells.
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Accordingly, as described above, the source and drain electrodes 13 and 14 and the semiconductor layer 12 are formed using photolithographic processes including the photoresist layers. However, using the photoresist layers is problematic. For example, the photolithographic processes are complicated since the photoresist patterns are formed through repeated processing including photoresist depositing, baking, irradiating, and developing. In addition, the baking process actually includes a soft baking process and a hard baking process that are performed at separate temperatures.
Moreover, since the fabrication processes include forming of a plurality of patterns (or electrodes), a plurality of photoresist processes are required. Accordingly, since photoresist processing must be performed to create each of the patterned lines, fabrication costs increase. For example, the fabrication costs of the photoresist process are approximately 40-45% of a total cost of the TFT substrate process.
Furthermore, the fabrication processes generate significant amounts of environment contaminants. In general, since the photoresist layer is formed by deposited photoresist material using a spin coating method, most of the photoresist material may be discarded. Accordingly, the discarded photoresist material increases fabrication costs of the TFT substrate and introduces contaminants into the environment.
In addition, performance of the LCD device may degrade due to remnant amounts of the photoresist material. For example, since the photoresist material is coated using the spin coating method, it is difficult to control a thickness of the photoresist layer. Accordingly, the photoresist layer has a non-uniform thickness and portions of the photoresist layer may remain after the photoresist pattern is supposed to be completed removed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the present invention is directed to a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device that includes a TiN layer formed during fabrication.
Another object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device having simplified fabrication processes and reduced fabrication costs.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, a plurality of thin film transistors, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, wherein the thin film transistor includes at least one Ti layer.
In another aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines cross each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, a thin film transistor in each pixel region, a pixel electrode in each pixel region, and a metal masking layer in the thin film transistor.
In another aspect, a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes providing a first substrate, forming a gate electrode on a first substrate, forming a gate insulating layer on an entire surface of the first substrate including the gate electrode, forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, forming source/drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer, forming a passivation layer on the gate insulating layer and the source/drain electrodes, and forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer, wherein at least one of the gate electrode, semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and pixel electrode is formed using a Ti layer and a TiN layer.
In another aspect, a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes forming a gate electrode on a first substrate, forming a gate insulating layer on an entire surface of the first substrate, forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, forming source/drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer, forming a passivation layer on the source/drain electrodes, and forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer, wherein at least one of the gate electrode, semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and pixel electrode is formed using a Ti masking layer and Ti pattern.
In another aspect, a patterning method includes forming an etching subject layer on a substrate, forming a Ti layer on the etching subject layer, irradiating light onto the Ti layer using a mask to form a TiN layer, etching the TiN layer to form a Ti pattern layer, etching the etching subject layer using the Ti pattern layer, and removing the Ti pattern layer.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detail description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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Then, a gate insulating layer 322 may be deposited over an entire surface of the first substrate 320 using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, a semiconductor layer 312a may be deposited on the gate insulating layer 322, and a Ti layer 372a may be formed on the semiconductor layer 312a. Next, a region of the Ti layer 372a may be covered using a mask 381 and light, such as ultraviolet rays or laser light, may be irradiated in a nitrogen atmosphere onto other regions of the Ti layer 372a not covered by the mask 381. Accordingly, the regions of the Ti layer 372a not covered by the mask 381 may be converted into TiN.
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Alternatively, the Ti masking layers of
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Next, a passivation layer 524 may be formed on an entire surface of the first substrate 520 upon which the source and drain electrodes 513 and 514 may be formed. Then, a TiOx layer 576a may be formed on the passivation layer 524, wherein light, such ultraviolet light or laser light, may be irradiated onto surface portions of the TiOx layer 576a using a mask 582. Accordingly, a surface region of the TiOx layer 576a upon which the light has not been irradiated may have hydrophobic properties, and the surface portions 577 (in
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A second substrate 530 may include a black matrix 532 and a color filter layer 534, wherein the first and second substrates 520 and 530 may be bonded together with a liquid crystal material 540 disposed therebetween.
According to the present invention, a LCD device may be formed using patterns formed of Ti and/or TiOx. However, the LCD device may be fabricated using only Ti, both Ti and a photoresist, or both Ti and TiOx. In addition, the LCD device may be fabricated by using Ti, TiOx, and the photoresist in combination.
In addition, according to the present invention, the LCD device may be fabricated with a Ti layer on at least one of the gate electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the source electrode/drain electrode. Moreover, it is possible to form the TiOx layer on at least one of the passivation layer and the pixel electrode, or form the TiOx layer on the gate electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the source electrode/drain electrode.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the LCD device and method of fabricating an LCD device of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device, comprising:
- providing a first substrate;
- forming a gate electrode on a first substrate;
- forming a gate insulating layer on an entire surface of the first substrate including the gate electrode;
- forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer;
- forming source/drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer;
- forming a passivation layer on the gate insulating layer and the source/drain electrodes; and
- forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer,
- wherein at least one of the gate electrode, semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and pixel electrode is formed using a Ti layer and a TiN layer.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming a gate electrode comprises:
- forming a metal layer on the first substrate;
- forming the Ti layer on the metal layer;
- irradiating light onto a portion of the Ti layer using a mask to convert the exposed portion of the Ti layer into the TiN layer;
- removing the TiN layer;
- etching the metal layer using the Ti layer as a mask; and
- removing the Ti layer.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the TiN layer is removed using an etching gas.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the Ti layer is removed using an etching solution or gas.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming a semiconductor layer comprises:
- depositing the semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer;
- forming the Ti layer on the semiconductor layer;
- irradiating light onto a portion of the Ti layer using a mask to convert the exposed portions of the Ti layer into a TiN layer;
- removing the TiN layer;
- etching the semiconductor layer using the Ti layer as a mask; and
- removing the Ti layer.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the TiN layer is removed using an etching gas.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the Ti layer is removed using an etching solution or gas.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming source/drain electrodes comprises:
- forming a metal layer on the semiconductor layer;
- forming the Ti layer on the metal layer;
- irradiating light onto a portion of the Ti layer using a mask to convert the exposed portion of the Ti layer into a TiN layer;
- removing the TiN layer;
- etching the metal layer using the Ti layer as a mask; and
- removing the Ti layer.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the TiN layer is removed using an etching gas.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the Ti layer is removed using an etching solution or gas.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming of a pixel electrode comprises:
- forming an indium tin oxide layer on the passivation layer;
- forming the Ti layer on the indium tin oxide layer;
- irradiating light onto a portion of the Ti layer using a mask to convert the exposed portion of the Ti layer into a TiN layer;
- removing the TiN layer;
- etching the indium tin oxide layer using the Ti layer as a mask; and
- removing the Ti layer.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the TiN layer is removed using an etching gas.
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the Ti layer is removed using an etching solution or gas.
14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a contact hole in the passivation layer to electrically interconnect the pixel electrode to the drain electrode.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the forming of a contact hole comprises:
- forming a Ti layer on the passivation layer;
- irradiating light onto a portion of the Ti layer using a mask to convert the exposed portion of the Ti layer into a TiN layer;
- removing the TiN layer;
- etching the passivation layer using the Ti layer as a mask; and
- removing the Ti layer.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the TiN layer is removed using an etching gas.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the Ti layer is removed using an etching solution or gas.
18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
- forming a black matrix and a color filter layer on a second substrate;
- bonding the first and second substrates together; and
- forming a liquid crystal material layer between the bonded first and second substrates.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 28, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 17, 2009
Patent Grant number: 7824940
Applicant:
Inventors: Gee-Sung Chae (Incheon), Yong-Sup Hwang (Gyeonggi-Do)
Application Number: 12/453,050
International Classification: H01L 21/331 (20060101);